EU to cut tariffs on farm imports

The European Union has told the World Trade Organisation, WTO talks in Geneva that it is prepared to cut its tariffs on farm imports by an average of sixty percent.



The proposal comes as trade ministers from around 30 countries try for an outline agreement intended to help developing countries.



One of the main areas of contention in the negotiations is the tariffs the EU imposes on agricultural imports.



This reduction could have a big impact on the EU\'s banana dispute with Latin American producers.



Caribbean countries that have lobbied hard against lowering a previous tariff to the current 176 euros per tonne, say any further cuts will badly damage their industry.



Last week, the EU said it was willing to make a gradual reduction to its import tariffs on Latin American fruit, from 176 euros per tonne to 116, by 2015.



Latin America has rejected the compromise.



However the former eastern Caribbean Ambassador to Brussels Edwin Laurent said there has been no indication that the EU is proposing further cuts to its banana import regime.